Karst Formation

Florida is a perfect environment for karst formation. In most parts of the state limestone, CaCO3, and other carbonates constituent a majority of the subsurface rock. This formation is the remnant of ocean sediments uplifted from the ancient sea. There are other reactants in the dissolution equation though. Liquid water, H2O, serves dual purposes in karst formation. It is a transport and solvent, that picks up and moves away the dissolved limestone. The other major reactant is carbon dioxide, CO2, which together with water forms carbonic acid, H2CO3. This moderately weak acid, pH=4.2 in a 0.01m solution, will travel through the limestone pore space and dissolve it until the solution reaches saturation. The result is a karst structure. In Florida karst depressions, such as sinkholes, are found have a distribution density of just over

This can come from several sources. There is CO2 in the air which can combine with water vapor and rain. Also, as is the case in Florida decaying plants release CO2 which makes its way into the system as acidic waters from runoff and standing water. This reaction is:

Limestones in Florida are porous, allowing the acidic water to percolate through them, dissolving some limestone and carrying it away in solution. Over time, this erosional process has created extensive underground hollows and drainage systems in the carbonate rocks throughout the state. Collapse of an underground cavern produces a sinkhole.

Some topics in this essay:
CaCO3 CaMgCO32, Abstract Florida, Florida Everglades, Limestones Florida, Florida Dissolution, Florida Karst, Reactants Limestone, carbon dioxide, carbonic acid, carbonate rocks, Morse Mackenzie, florida karst, karst formation, weak acid, drainage systems, water percolate, pore space, limestone caco3,